Harper
by MaverickLover2
Summary: It wasn't easy being a gambler at all of twenty-five. Especially when things hadn't gone your way for a while. Tired, dirty and hungry, Bart wanders into a town called Wilsons Corners and meets a most extraordinary young lady named Harper.
1. A Girl Named Harper

Chapter 1 – A Girl Named Harper

Her name was Harper Parish, and I never did find out where she came from. I just know that she influenced my life in ways I never could have imagined.

I was about twenty-five when I first met her; she was seventeen. Now don't get the wrong idea – I was too old for her and I knew it. Besides, the last thing I wanted to do was get tied down to one woman, in one place, and spend the rest of my life there. Not that there was much chance of that happenin'. Harper insisted she was never gettin' married.

I'd ridden into a little town called Wilsons Corners, tired, dirty, and hungry, and I wasn't sure which one to take care of first. The one thing I was sure of was my horse felt the same way, which is why I headed straight for the livery. That's where I first caught sight of her, and to say she fascinated me was an understatement. I saw her from behind, and if it hadn't been for the long blonde hair I would have been convinced 'she' was a 'he.'

Before I could say anything she turned around, and not only did her gender become obvious, so did her youth. She had blue-gray eyes that were way too serious for her age, and a black hat that she wore Texas style. And she dressed nothing like any girl that I'd ever seen – her clothes would have passed for a man's.

"Help ya?" she asked, and her voice was pure honey. Low and drawl free, she made you want to ask her questions just so you could hear her speak.

"You the stable man?"

She stared at me like I'd just asked the dumbest thing she'd ever heard. Then, unexpectedly, her eyes crinkled up and she laughed. "Yeah, mister, I guess I am. Horse need tendin'?"

"Yes, ma'am," I answered, and I laughed with her. "Water, food, rubdown."

"You goin' to get the same thing?"

The question was blunt but understandable, considering the way I looked. "Except for the rubdown, yes."

"Well, mister, if you want one . . . there's always girls at the Black Nugget Saloon."

"How about you tell me where the hotel is in this town?"

"That's easy," she grinned as she took the reins of my horse. "Three doors past the bank, down on the other side a the street. You stayin' the night?"

"At least," was the most honest answer I could give her. I'd been riding for almost a week and I needed to rest in an actual bed instead of the ground. And I needed a good, hot bath. After that I'd see just what the Black Nugget Saloon had to offer. In the way of poker, that is. The last thing I needed in my life right now was one of the ladies that worked there, no matter how pretty or accommodating they might be.

"Alright, Mister . . . ?"

"Maverick," I told her. "Bart Maverick. And you are?"

"Harper Parish. Temporary employee of the livery. I'll take good care of your horse, Mr. Maverick. You need anything else, you come back and see me."

"Thanks, Miss Parish."

"Don't call me that. Call me Harper."

"Alright, Harper. I'm Bart."

She grinned that little lopsided grin again. "Good to meet ya, Bart. Like I said, you come back an see me if you need anything. I got a handle on most a the town."

"Hotel got a dining room?"

"Not one that's any good to speak of. Head across the street to Bonnie's. Best food in town."

I tipped my hat. "Thanks, Harper."

I paid her and headed for the livery door. "Don't get lost," she called after me, and laughed again. My stomach growled and I set out down the street towards Bonnie's. I wasn't much dirtier than most of the cattle hands rolling around these small towns, and for once I was actually hungry. So getting clean was going to wait.

I was almost done with my meal when a now-familiar face came through the doors. Harper Parish headed straight for my table, and I was concerned. Had something happened to my horse? I didn't have to wait long for my answer.

"Horse okay?" I questioned.

"What?" she asked as she pulled up one of the empty chairs. "Oh, yeah, your horse is fine. You a gun-hand?"

I was trying to swallow the last of my meal and almost choked. "Me? Lord, no. Not on my best day. Or would that be my worst day? Why do you ask?"

"Lawman?"

I shook my head. "Not that either. Somethin' wrong?"

"Bounty hunter?"

It sounded like she was goin' through every job she could think of, so I tried putting any end to her string of guesses. "Gambler."

"Oh." Harper sounded deflated. "You ever do anything else?"

"Yeah. A lotta different things. Why? You lookin' for somethin' specific?"

She nodded her head, and that long blonde hair bounced up and down. "I need somebody to . . . " That's where she stopped. I waited for her to finish the sentence, but there was no more forthcoming. I pushed my plate away; she'd been right about the food. It was better than average, and I'd cleaned my plate. Something I didn't do very often.

"To do what, Harper?"

"I need somebody to do a job for me. I can pay. You interested?"

"What kinda job?" I'd be the first to admit, the word 'job' was usually enough to send me running in the opposite direction. When your poke keeps gettin' smaller and your belly's just as empty, you begin considerin' all sorts of things you might not have considered last week. Right now I was willing to listen to whatever she had to offer.

"I gotta go back to the livery. How about I meet you here at Bonnie's at eight o'clock tonight? Maybe by then you won't appear as you're gonna fall asleep on me."

That sounded good, considering the way I felt when I first rode into town. And now that I had a full belly it was only gonna get worse. So, against my better judgment, I agreed. "Eight o'clock. Here at Bonnie's. I'll be here."

I couldn't ask her any more questions; as soon as I told her I'd be there, she was gone. As I paid for my meal I couldn't help but wonder – what had I gotten myself into now? And just who or what was Harper Parish? I got out of there in a hurry, trying to stay awake long enough to get to the hotel. I did, and got a room, arranging for a bath around seven o'clock. With a guarantee that someone would wake me when it was ready. That was a necessity, because the way I felt right now I'd probably sleep until tomorrow. That's what a week in the saddle will do to you.

XXXXXXXX

I felt better after some shut-eye and a bath. It didn't hurt that I shaved and changed clothes, either. I was almost feeling human again by the time I walked back to Bonnie's, this time dressed like a gambler and not a saddle tramp. I had every intention of going to investigate the Black Nugget Saloon after my meeting with Harper.

I walked back into Bonnie's and spotted her right away. She was sittin' at a table in the very back of the place, looking exactly the same as she had earlier in the day. Except for the coffee cup she held in her left hand. She whistled when I got close enough to her. "My, my, don't you look pretty," and for the third time today she gave me that little lopsided grin. "Didn't know you'd clean up that nice."

"Thanks, I think. Is that all you're havin'?" and I pointed to the coffee cup.

"For right now. You lookin' for supper?"

I laughed and shook my head. "Nope. I'm goin' to play some poker when I leave here. I'll eat when I'm done." I signaled one of the ladies that I needed coffee, and she brought it right away. Once she was gone I turned back to Harper. "Now, tell me about this job you're offerin'."

"I need you to retrieve my best friend Danny Mills from Wyoming State Prison."


	2. Danny Mills, To Be Continued

Chapter 2 – Danny Mills, To Be Continued

"What?" I wasn't sure I'd heard her. Retrieve her best friend from Wyoming State Prison? Did that mean break him out? Something about Harper Parish told me that wasn't quite right. Then just what did she mean? And who was Danny Mills?

"Well, maybe retrieve ain't the right word. I need you to go to the prison and see to it that Danny gets back here in one piece."

That didn't seem to be a whole lot clearer. I still wasn't sure exactly what she meant. "You don't mean break him out, do you? Cause I don't do prison breaks."

Harper laughed so hard she almost spit coffee at me. "No, no, no. It's a long story how he got there, but Danny's bein' released and he could need some help gettin' home. I'm goin' up to get him, but I don't wanna go alone. All you have to do is ride along with me up there, and come back with the two of us. That's all. And I can pay you almost four hundred dollars. Should take about a week to get there and back. Interested?"

No. I'm not interested. I have no desire to spend more time in the saddle. For what? To babysit somebody gettin' outta prison? Besides, I had a feeling there was gonna be more required than just playin' escort up and back. Harper wanted somebody that could use a gun; that much was obvious from the questions she'd asked me earlier. So just what was it she wasn't telling me?

"Who is this Danny Mills? And why is he in prison?"

No lopsided grin this time, Harper got totally serious. "Danny and I grew up together. We was always best friends, till he got hooked up with an older fella that led him . . . the wrong way. Danny's spent the last year in prison payin' for his mistake. Now he just wants to come back here and start over. This fella lost somethin' an thinks Danny knows where it is."

The picture began to clear up some. "And you want somebody along that can handle a gun . . . just in case."

"More or less. Danny wants to come back to Wilsons Corners. And I miss him somethin' fierce. Won't do nobody no good . . . "

"If he comes back dead?"

"See? That's another reason I want you to go with me. You're quick. Nothin' but dumb cowboys around here. An kids that don't know nothin'. I knew you was different. You're . . . mature. Smart."

"And you figured all that out in five minutes this morning?"

The grin came back, followed by a full-blown smile. "Yep."

I did not want to be involved in the care and feeding of Danny Mills. But there was something about Harper Parish that fascinated me. And, to be honest, my poker playing had been less than stellar lately. If I didn't win some money soon . . . let's just say that four hundred dollars sounded pretty good. "When does he get released?"

"On Monday. You takin' the job?" She looked as hopeful as she sounded.

No. Absolutely not. Not in this life or any other. "I'll let you know in the morning." I was surprised when the words came out of my mouth. My mind was already made up; despite Harper's flattery I had no intention of going with her further north into Wyoming. To do what, exactly? Play bodyguard and try not to get myself killed? So why hadn't I just told her no? Like I said before, there was something about her that intrigued me. Something not at all romantic; but some desire to protect her, to keep her safe from harm. Some of the things I've always felt for my 'sister,' Jody.

"Alright, that's fair. I'll be at the livery at seven."

I paid for my coffee and we walked out together. She headed up the street, I headed down it. The lights were bright in the Black Nugget Saloon, and it was loud and noisy. Laughter and music filled the air, and smoke drifted out through the batwing doors. My kind of place.

XXXXXXXX

By seven the next morning my decision had been made for me. If I was really careful, I had just enough money to get me through until Monday. No sense putting off the inevitable; I headed up the street towards the livery. At least I could make one person happy this morning.

Harper was there, mucking out a stall. She gave me that little grin when she saw me, and stopped what she was doing. "Well good mornin', Mr. Maverick. How's the world treatin' you this beautiful day?"

Such unbridled enthusiasm for the day this early in the morning was almost too much to bear, and I think my only response was a grunt. Her response was to do her best to suppress the laughter threatening to burst forth from her lips. "I see your card playin' didn't go so well last night."

"That's putting it mildly," I muttered unenthusiastically. I had high hopes when I started playing poker last night, and the cards seemed to be agreeable at first. It didn't take long for Fate or Lady Luck or just bad poker playin' to catch up with me, and by the time I'd walked away from the tables this mornin' my fate was sealed; I was going to Wyoming to play bodyguard for two young pups. Against I-didn't-know-what.

"You had breakfast yet?" Harper asked unexpectedly.

"Uh, no." I'd come straight to the livery when I realized that circumstances insisted I accept Harper's job offer.

"Come on, let's go back down to Bonnie's. Won't be nobody here for another hour." Harper saw my hesitation. "I'm buyin'," she added. Those were the magic words.

About halfway through the meal she finally started talking about Danny Mills and their friendship – although truth be told, it sounded like way more than friendship to me. At least on Harper's part. Typical kid stuff, the kind of things that my brother Bret and I went through when we were growing up. Until the last two or three years; that's when everything started to change. I could tell from the way Harper talked about Danny just when she started to turn into a woman, and from her point of view, when he became more than her 'best friend.' She had begun to tell me the story of Danny's falling under the spell of the bad influence, Red Maxwell, when she abruptly stopped. I was drinking coffee at the time and she was sitting there staring at me, her mouth open.

She looked at my plate, then at me, then back at the plate. Finally she asked me, "Is that all you ever eat?" That was nothing new in my life. My brother's been askin' me things like that ever since we was kids. The Maverick appetite is legend in our family, with everyone except me. Never have been a big eater, I tend to subsist on coffee more than anything.

"Yep, that's about it," I responded. "Just make sure there's plenty a coffee around and I'm a happy man."

For just a moment she giggled, and I was startled. That was the first purely female sound I'd heard out of Harper since I met her. She looked just a bit embarrassed but eventually went back to telling me how Danny got involved with Red, and what led to his subsequent incarceration. Sounded to me like Danny Mills had dodged a bullet, truth be told.

We finally finished and headed back towards the livery. It was Thursday, and I needed sleep, so Harper went back to her 'temporary' job and I went back to my hotel room. My rest was fitful and full of dreams, mostly about people I didn't know and had yet to meet. If any of what I dreamt was in the least bit true, the last person I wanted to run across in reality was Red Maxwell. When I woke up later in the day I realized this 'job' I had committed myself to was full of illusions, doubts, and dread. All because of my protective instincts towards Harper Parish.


	3. Bed and Bath

Chapter 3 – Bed and Bath

I woke to the sound of a fist knocking on my hotel room door. It wasn't the first time I'd woken up that way, and it sure wouldn't be the last. This sounded like an awfully small fist, and I assumed it to be Harper. I wasn't sure what time it was, or how long I'd slept, and I hadn't yet learned (the hard way, I might add) to be more cautious when opening hotel room doors. So open it I did, and fortunately I was right. It was Miss Parish.

"You sleep all day?" she asked as she brushed past me, straight into my room. That's when I looked out the window and saw that it was, indeed, dark outside.

"Evidently," I answered. "You work all day?"

"Evidently," she answered, and laughed. That girl had the strangest sense of humor.

"Shouldn't be in my room, young lady."

"Why not, old man?" She was still laughing; she seemed to be amused by the look on my face when she called me 'old man.' I guess I was, to her. "You gonna bite me?"

"Not me. But somebody else might. And ladies don't go to gentlemen's rooms."

"Well, see, then there's no problem. I'm not a lady."

I sighed, and she sat down on my bed. "What did you want, Harper?"

She finally quit laughing and got serious. "Tomorrow's Friday. Danny gets out on Monday. I think we should leave in the morning."

I had horrible visions of leaving at sunup. "When in the morning?"

"How does nine o'clock sound?"

A lot better than sunup, I'll tell you that. "Nine o'clock sounds fine. When can we buy supplies?"

"How about now?"

I looked in the mirror. Not too bad for having just gotten out of bed. "You go wait for me downstairs. I'll be down in five minutes."

"Yes, sir," she told me, and off she went without further protest. I shook my head and once again wondered just what I'd gotten myself into. Just a few minutes later I rejoined Harper in the lobby and off we went, in search of the General Store.

An hour later we were back at Bonnie's eating supper. I'd had the feeling for quite a while that we were being watched, but Harper had described Red Maxwell and I hadn't spotted anybody that fit the description. Still, I stayed alert and waited to see if we were followed when we left the café. "Where are you stayin'?" I asked the girl, fully intending to walk her home.

"At the livery," was her answer, and it wasn't one that I expected.

"You sleepin' there, too?"

"At the moment. I had a room at Fletcher's Boardin' House but I gave it up to save money. Henry's been lettin' me sleep at the livery for the past month or so."

That explained a lot. Kinda hard to stay 'girl' clean if you're livin' in a barn. "Not tonight. You sleep in my room."

"With you?"

"Not with me. In the bed, by yourself. I can sleep on the floor. That way you can take a bath before we leave tomorrow."

"Are you insinuating . . . "

"Nope, I'm not insinuatin' a thing. I'm tellin' you straight out. You smell just like a horse. Got to do somethin' about that before we leave in the mornin'."

"Next thing I know you'll be wantin' me to wear a dress." It was evident from the way she said it that she wasn't happy with me, but what I'd told her was the truth. Pretty girl that she was, not only did she smell but her clothes smelled. I didn't think Danny Mills would be offended if she was clean when he was released, and neither would I.

"No, Harper, I know you're a girl. You don't have to wear a dress to prove it. But you do have to be clean. Go up to the livery and get your things, and bring 'em back to my room. I'll have 'em draw a bath for you. You got clean clothes?"

She ducked her head and looked kinda sheepish. "Nope. That's why I'm still wearin' these. That an the horses don't care what I smell like."

I might be pushing the issue, but I wasn't riding anywhere with her until she got cleaned up. "Then we're goin' back to the general store to get you some."

The next thing I heard was a big sigh. "If I have to. But I ain't happy about it."

XXXXXXXX

It was almost midnight by the time we got done with everything. Harper looked and seemed to feel a whole lot better once she was bathed and in new clothes, and she sure smelled better. I'd gotten her to pick out clothes that looked a little less masculine, and they fit her a whole lot better. Her hair was so blonde it looked like spun gold, and I couldn't help but smile at her. She really was a pretty girl.

Harper saw my smile and asked me, "What you smilin' at?"

"I'm smilin' at the pretty girl standin' in front a me. I think Danny Mills is gonna smile when he sees her, too. Got a feelin' she's gonna look a whole lot better to him than she did before."

For the first time since I'd known her, I saw her blush. She quickly changed the subject. "You really gonna sleep on the floor?"

I nodded. "That, or in a chair. I've slept in all kinda places."

"Then why can't we sleep in the bed together? It's sure big enough." I'd done that many times with my brother, and would do it many times in the future. But Harper sure didn't look like my brother.

"Cause we can't." That was about all the reason I intended to give her.

"But why? Danny and me slept in the same bed once."

' _And I doubt if you looked the way you do right now,'_ was the first thing that ran through my mind. That's when I realized that maybe the one I needed to protect her from was me. I wasn't  that much older than she was. "Too much temptation," I told her, praying that she didn't ask me for an explanation.

She didn't argue with me, and I finally convinced her I'd be just fine. I ended up in two chairs, the way I'd slept many times, usually when I was watchin' over Bret for one reason or another. A gambler learns how to sleep most anywhere, anytime, in or on anything. Wasn't the most comfortable night I've ever had, but I'd had a good sleep during the day and I was fairly well rested.

We were both awake soon after sunup, and it didn't take long to pack everything and get the horses saddled. We took a pack animal with us, a little bay mare that looked like she could run all day and not break a sweat. Harper rode a chestnut gelding; I still had my sorrel stallion. We were earlier than we'd expected to be, so we stopped at Bonnie's and had one last breakfast. Harper seemed pleased that I ate better this morning than I had yesterday, and she was telling me more stories about her escapades with Danny as we headed north, towards the state prison. I was determined to keep my eyes open and make sure we weren't being followed. We had a long way to go, and I was hoping for a quiet and peaceful trip. Hoping being the operative word.


	4. Maxwell's Specter

Chapter 4 – Maxwell's Specter

We rode all day, with Harper telling me more about her life and escapades with Danny Mills. I did my best to keep my eyes open for signs that we were being followed, but saw nothing to make me anxious.

I found us a place to camp for the night, one that was surrounded by Cottonwood trees and was relatively secluded, and we settled in for supper and sleep. Harper had finally grown quiet; I didn't know if she was sleepy or just tired of talking. I asked her a question that I'd wanted to ask since we first met. "You're awful young to be out on your own all alone. Don't you have family?"

I didn't get any kind of answer for several minutes – I thought maybe she'd fallen asleep. Then, so soft and subdued that I had to strain to hear her, she gave me an answer I didn't expect. "I'm not all alone. My Pa's the sheriff in Wilsons Corners."

Her father was the sheriff, and she was sleeping in the livery? What kind of a parent lets his seventeen-year-old daughter do that? "What about your momma?"

"Gone. Died when my sister was born. I was a little 'un, don't remember much about her."

"You have a baby sister?"

She nodded, but kept her face turned away from me. "Three years younger than me. She lives with my aunt in Santa Fe. I haven't seen her since I was six."

"Why aren't you two together?" It was a reasonable question coming from me; I was five and my brother seven when our momma died. Pappy never would have split the two of us up, even though I'm sure there were times he probably wanted to. It seemed really odd to split up sisters. I don't know why; it just did.

Another slow answer; I think she was trying to figure a way to make it sound reasonable and normal. "Pa's always been a sheriff. Said it was hard enough raisin' one baby, much less two. So Esme went to live with Aunt Millie. Ain't seen her since we came up to Wyoming for Pa to take the sheriff's job in Rock Springs. Then Wilsons Corners. We write back and forth, but it ain't the same as bein' together. Danny an me was gonna go to Santa Fe, until . . . "

"Until he got mixed up with Red Maxwell?" That part wasn't hard to figure out.

"Yeah."

"How'd that happen, Harper?" She'd started to tell me, but never finished the story. She probably didn't want to tell me now, but I needed to know just exactly what we were facing when we got to the prison.

"Danny knew how bad I wanted to see Esme. We was good kids, but Danny was always a little more wild than I was. He got a job workin' for old man Ferris, and that's where he met Red. I heard Maxwell was wanted by the law in Kansas, but I don't know what for. He was always drinkin' in town and gettin' in fights, and pretty soon he started draggin' Danny with him. They got to be pretty close, always hangin' out in town together, and Danny started drinkin' right along with Red. One Saturday night the two of 'em got throwed in jail, and Pa didn't want me around Danny no more. So I don't know how much talkin' Red had to do to convince Danny to try and hold up the saloon with him. It was a chance to get enough money for Santa Fe. And I wasn't around to talk him out of it."

I wasn't at all surprised. I know just how easy it is to get talked into something you really don't want to do. There was that time when I was fifteen . . . and I almost did the same thing. Just so I could take a girl to a dance. "What went wrong?' I asked her.

"Red cleaned out the cash drawer and shot the bartender. That wasn't supposed to happen, and Danny took a shot at Red, who dropped the money and ran out. Danny picked up the money and stayed with the bartender, till Pa got there and arrested him. I was at the trial – that's when I moved outta Pa's house. Bartender testified for Danny, but he got a year in prison. Said it was right that he should be punished for what he tried to do."

"And Red?"

"Red got clean away. Robbed a stage down in Lincoln County, got away with it. Killed the driver."

"And he knows Danny's gettin' outta prison."

"Yeah."

"And he thinks Danny's got the money from the saloon."

"Somethin' like that."

"And he's comin' after Danny to get it."

She finally turned back to face me. There was just the beginning of a tear or two in her eyes. "Yeah."

"Why didn't you tell me that to begin with?" I wasn't angry with her; I'd figured it out, or something like it, two days ago.

"I was afraid you wouldn't come with me, and I needed you. You ain't gonna leave me here, are you?" Her voice trembled just a little. She was sitting right next to me in front of the fire, and I reached over and wrapped my arms around her. There was no sound from her, but I could feel the sobs shake her. I held her like you'd hold a frightened child, until the shaking stopped.

"No, Harper, I'm not gonna leave you here. I agreed to go with you; I'm not backin' out." She laid her head on my shoulder and mumbled something into my shirt. "What was that?" I had to ask her.

"Much obliged," she muttered just a bit louder. "Wish my pa was like you."

Great. Twenty-five years old and she wanted her pa to be like me. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry, so I chose to ignore the remark. "Does he know about all this?" I unwrapped my arms slowly and she sat up straight. Her eyes were clear now.

"You mean the truth about the saloon? Yeah. Didn't make no difference to him. The laws the law, and Danny broke it. Don't matter that he wishes he hadn't. He knows about Danny gettin' out, too. Came by the livery a week ago to tell me, like I didn't know. Didn't tell him what I'd been savin' for, or what I was gonna do."

"So your pa, the sheriff, don't know that you're goin' after Danny?" She didn't answer me with words – just looked up at me with those big blue-gray eyes. That meant 'no.' "What's he gonna do when he finds out?"

"Nothin', he won't do nothin'. He washed his hands of me when I moved out."

"He cared enough to come tell you about Danny's release."

She shook her head slightly. "I don't think he was comin' to tell me, much as he was comin' to warn me. Kinda like 'watch out for Red.' Don't think it was much more than that."

"And when Danny's back in town? What then?"

"Depends."

That's when I heard it. It sounded like something crashing through the brush, at first, and I pulled my gun and waited. Red Maxwell? Somebody else? Harper heard it, too, and I'm not sure which one of us was more on edge. Just when I was about to jump out of my skin, a deer poked its head out of the trees, took one look at the two of us, and turned and ran back the way it had come.

Harper and I both burst into laughter. "Get some sleep," I told her as I holstered my gun. "I'll keep watch for a while."

Unexpectedly, she leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. "Thanks, Bart. I'll take over later." She laid down against her saddle and pulled a blanket up over her. I leaned back and watched her for a good long time, wondering just what it was gonna be like on the way back, when we had the unknown riding with us – Danny Mills. And Red Maxwell somewhere out there tracking us.


	5. A Good Sign

Chapter 5 – A Good Sign

My nose reacted before the rest of me did the next morning. The smell of coffee was in the air, and it didn't take long for me to respond to it. Harper had woken up and taken over the watch about two in the morning, and she was busy putting together breakfast for both of us. For once, I was happy I didn't have to make the coffee.

We didn't waste time. Within an hour we'd eaten, cleaned up, packed everything and were on our way. The day went past much as yesterday had. We rode and talked, talked and rode, again without a trace of Red Maxwell or anyone else. When we camped I caught a rabbit for supper, and Harper proved every bit as adept at skinning and cooking it as my brother. We traded this time, with the girl taking the first watch and me the second. Sunday morning found me making the coffee, and soon we were again on our way.

There wasn't much conversation on our third day of traveling. Both of us were worn out to an extent, and generally tired of talking. We stopped earlier than we had the other two days and agreed that we could probably do without either of us standing guard. It had become apparent that wherever Red was, we wouldn't see any of him until our party numbered three instead of just the two of us.

Monday morning came with the sunup, and whether it was nervous anticipation or just plain excitement, Harper had coffee brewing soon after. Why I was awake that early I have no idea, but once I got wind of the coffee there was no going back.

"Good mornin'," was the first thing I heard from the girl, and she sounded happy. My eyes came open slowly, and all that was visible was the cup of coffee she was holding out to me. "Did I wake you up?"

"Sorta. Kinda. Naw, it was the smell a coffee. Can't imagine why you're up so early."

My eyes were open wide enough now that I could see the big grin on her face. "Think he'll get out this mornin'?"

That was a question I had no answer for. "No idea. We'll find out when we get there."

"How far do we have to go?"

"Couple hours. Three at the most. Let's eat and get outta here."

Before too long we were on our way again. This morning she was all wound up and talked practically non-stop. Every sentence started out with either "Danny" or "Danny and me" and continued until I couldn't stand it anymore.

"Harper, honey?"

She pulled her horse up and looked at me. "Yeah?"

"Can you . . . can you stop talkin' for a minute?"

"Too much?" she asked me, and I had to tell her the truth.

"Just a little."

We rode for another few minutes in silence and then the prison came into view, and my peace was over. We approached the gates at the guardhouse, and I dismounted.

"Help ya?" the guard asked as he came out to meet us.

"Waitin' for a prisoner release supposed to happen today," I replied.

"Name?"

"Danny Mills."

He was back in less than five minutes. "Should be out this afternoon."

I looked up at Harper. She was grinning from ear to ear. "Do we just wait here?"

The guard shook his head. "See that cabin over there?" He was pointing to a small building about a hundred or so feet away. "You can wait there. He's the only one gettin' out today, so I'll send him right on over."

I climbed back on my sorrel. "Thanks. Where's the nearest town?"

"Bout three miles or so that way." East, this time. "Placerville."

"They got a livery and a general store?"

"Yep. And a saloon."

I turned to Harper. "We got time. Let's go get supplies." I paused, then added, "And a horse."

It was a quick trip to Placerville and no problem replenishing the supplies. On to the livery. They had a bay mare and a black stallion for sale; Harper decided on the stallion. As soon as he was saddled and paid for we headed back to the prison. This time we went straight to the cabin and tied all the horses outside. Harper was so excited she couldn't sit still, so I pulled out a deck of cards, determined to keep her occupied. She knew enough about poker to play a decent game, and that's what we did for the next two hours.

Eventually, even I was anxious. Just when I thought Mills would never be released, the front door to the cabin swung open, and a figure stood in the doorway. He wasn't as tall as I was, and he probably outweighed me by a bit, but the biggest difference was in age. I don't know what I was expecting, but he looked a lot younger than me. No wonder Harper had called me 'old man' more than once. His hair was dark and long, almost down to his shoulders, and he wore a mustache. But it was his eyes that you noticed, because they didn't go with the face. They were a smoky gray color and looked far older than the rest of the man they belonged to. Young in years, those eyes had seen things that Harper would never understand.

His expression was grim when he looked at me. Just who he thought I was, I have no idea. He searched the room and finally spotted the girl, and the hardened criminal look left his face and was replaced by the smile of a happy boy.

"Danny!" she shrieked, and ran into his arms. There was hugging and laughter, and for a minute all of their worries and fears were forgotten. They were just two friends that had waited a long time for this exact moment. He kissed her on the cheek, awkwardly, and she kissed him back on the lips. He appeared slightly startled but didn't pull away. When they broke apart he turned his attention back to me and extended his hand, tentatively.

"Danny Mills. And you are?"

"Bart Maverick," I replied, and shook his hand. "I'm kind of . . . kind of an escort."

Harper quickly stepped in to try and explain. "I thought it might help if we had someone with us. To discourage Red when he shows up."

"Gun hand?" Danny asked.

"Not exactly. Just some . . . extra protection. So Maxwell thinks twice before he tries anything. Maybe he won't like the odds."

"And you're doin' this because?"

I wasn't gonna lie to the kid. "I'm gettin' paid to."

He nodded. At least he knew there was nothing between the girl and me. "You seen him? Red, I mean."

"Not so far," Harper answered. "Bart figured he wouldn't show until we had you with us."

"Probably true. You know what he wants from me?"

My turn to nod. "I do. Harper told me the story. You did the right thing."

Danny laughed then, a cynical sound. "Too bad Maxwell don't feel the same way. Stupidest thing I ever did, tryin' to rob the saloon." He looked down at Harper. "You look awful good, Harper. You miss me?"

She blushed. There was a real girl in there. "You know I did. Thought this year'd never be over."

"How's your Pa?"

"He's still the sheriff, if that's what you mean. I don't see much of him."

"Still mad at me?" It seemed like a reasonable question.

"He came and told me you were bein' released. Bart seemed to think that was a good sign."

"You meet him?"

"Nope," I answered. "Just know what Harper told me. I kinda gave him the benefit of the doubt."

Danny hesitated, then told me, "I hope you're right. He needs to know people can change."

I thought about my own father. We'd never been close; I always believed he was partial to my brother Bret, and I just kinda came along with the deal. It took a few years before I found out that wasn't the truth. Funny how it's always easier to see things right in front of you when it don't involve your own kin.

I changed the subject. "You ready to go?"

"Yes, sir," the newly-released prisoner answered. "That I am."

In minutes we were mounted and on our way. I had a portion of my peace and quiet back; Danny and Harper rode together in front and chattered incessantly to each other. I rode behind and listened to the sound of young love. Quite noisy.


	6. All Gamblers Cheat

Chapter 6 – All Gamblers Cheat

We left the prison in the late afternoon and made good time, riding until it was almost dark. I found us a small stand of hills, populated by large boulders and trees, and we made camp with our backs fairly well protected. "I can't get over the sky. It's so full of stars," Danny kept telling Harper over and over. I guess it did look pretty good, after a whole year of not bein' able to see it. I shoulda remembered the feelin' after all the time I spent in the Silver Creek jail, but I was in such bad shape that by the time I was finally released I didn't notice much of anything.

Harper seemed to be enraptured by Danny and hung on practically every word that came out of his mouth. No doubt in my mind that there was a whole lot more than just friendship bein' felt by the young lady. I told 'em both to sleep and took the first watch. There was no wind or noise; if Red Maxwell was out there somewhere he was quieter than a field mouse. Harper relieved me, and I assume Mills relieved her; he had the coffee on by the time I woke up. She seemed more settled this morning, maybe it had started to sink in that we needed to be on our guard at all times. If we were gonna get back to Wilsons Corners alive.

Danny and I started off riding lead together, with Harper bringing up the rear with the little bay mare and her supplies. We hadn't traveled far when we finally began talking.

"If you're not a gun hand, what are you?"

"A gambler that hit a bad streak."

"A gambler, huh? How'd you meet Harper?"

"I rode into her livery."

"That's all?"

"That's all."

It was quiet for a few minutes, like Danny was trying to digest our simple encounter. After a bit I thought maybe I should clarify things for him. "She was lookin' for somebody to make the trip with her, Danny. I just happened to come along at the right time."

"Why'd you decide to do it?" He still sounded confused by the whole thing.

"I was broke. She offered me a job."

"You broke often?"

I laughed at that. "On occasion."

"How come? I thought gamblers were never broke."

"The ones that cheat aren't. I play an honest game of poker."

"All gamblers cheat."

Danny needed a lesson in perception. "Once an outlaw always an outlaw." He pulled the stallion up sharply and stared at me. I followed suit.

"What does that . . ." he paused for a moment and then understood and began again. "I see what you mean."

I nodded as we started forward. "That's why I gave Harper's Pa the benefit of the doubt. Even John Law can change his mind."

We rode a while further before I asked a question. "What are you gonna do now that you're a free man?"

Danny didn't hesitate to answer. It seemed to be something he'd been thinking about for a while. "Get a job as a ranch hand. Maybe Mr. Ferris will hire me back. I'd be awful grateful if he would. I sure owe him."

"Owe him for what?"

"He's the one got me a lawyer. Done everything he could to try and help when I got arrested."

"Sounds like a good place to start."

"Harper goin' back to the livery?"

"I don't know," I told him. "She didn't say."

"She wants to raise horses."

"Oh?"

His head bobbed up and down. "Ever since she was little."

"Danny . . . "

"Yes, sir?"

How to make me feel old again. And I certainly wasn't. "What about Harper?" I could tell from the look on his face that he wasn't sure what I meant. "How do you feel about Harper?"

"I . . . well . . . she's my best friend. Why?"

"Is that all?"

"I . . . uh . . . maybe. Maybe not."

Once again, I felt the overwhelming urge to protect this girl. I don't know why; she could probably protect herself just fine. Nevertheless, I plunged ahead. "She's in love with you, Danny."

Very softly I heard the outlaw, the convict, the boy, whisper, "I know."

"What are you gonna do about it?"

"I . . . nothin'."

"Nothing?" I persisted.

"What can I do about it? I probably got a killer chasin' me, lookin' to get back what he thinks I've got. I can't let her get close to me. Not as long as Red Maxwell's out there."

I didn't know whether to feel better . . . that it seemed like he cared for her, too . . . or worse . . . because of Maxwell. At least it sounded like the kid was thinking.

Before we could get any further, Harper rode up next to the two of us. "Hey, it's somebody else's turn to ride drag. It's lonely back there."

I reached over and took the mare's reins from her. I didn't want Danny riding behind, all by himself. He made too good a target. "I'll ride it. You two go on ahead. But keep your eyes open."

"Thanks, Bart."

She moved closer to Danny as the mare and I fell back. That's the way we rode the rest of the morning, and it was a good thing, too. I started noticing little things that set me on edge. Not much, just odd noises once in a while; small animals scurrying across the trail, like something was riding behind us and had sent them our way; and whatever it was that made the hair stand up on the back of my neck. There was no doubt in my mind that Red Maxwell was out there, somewhere, shadowing us. And it was only a matter of time until he got tired of waiting.


	7. Bait

Chapter 7 – Bait

The day passed, and we were almost halfway on our journey back to Wilsons Corners. I hadn't seen or heard anything out of the ordinary all day, and I was beginning to think that my mind was playing tricks on me again. It wouldn't be the first time that happened, and I was sure it wouldn't be the last.

This afternoon even 'the kids' had been quiet, riding without too much talk going on between them. Every once in a while I could see Harper watching Danny as they rode, and she left little doubt in my mind that her insistence she'd never marry would very easily fall by the wayside. There was more than love in her expression, though; there was admiration, and something I couldn't put my finger on. Maybe it was respect, for everything the young man had been through and how much it seemed to have reshaped him. Once his life looked to be headed in the wrong direction; now it appeared he was determined to live abiding by the law, instead of ignoring it.

By the time we made camp for the night, I was starting to hope that our potential pursuer had decided to abandon that very pursuit. Everything seemed quiet and settled, and I had no problem with Harper volunteering to take the first watch of the night. I was sleeping somewhat peacefully when I was more or less startled out of that sleep by a commotion that I identified almost immediately. The sound of scuffling and muffled protests could be heard, and it was obvious – we had a visitor of human kind. Unwelcome, from the sounds I heard. I opened my eyes as I reached for my gun, but I only had a moment to see anything before I felt the pain in my head and everything went black.

I have no idea how long I was unconscious – it was daylight the next time I struggled to open my eyes. The pain in the back of my head throbbed with every breath that I took, and I groaned loudly as I rolled over and braced myself against the ground. I heard a voice mumbling something but it took me a minute to realize it was Danny Mills and recognize what he was saying – "Harper's gone. He's taken Harper."

I felt something cold and wet on the back of my head and moaned. I reached for whatever it was and heard the voice tell me, "Lie still. There's a lotta blood." Of course there was. It was a scalp wound, and they always bleed a lot. I didn't argue with it, though; my head hurt too bad to argue. Finally I gathered my wits about me enough to ask, "Was it Maxwell?"

"It had to be," the voice answered. "I didn't see him, it was too dark. And then something hit me, but not as hard as he must have hit you."

"I bleed a lot," I responded, as the boy finally came into focus. He was bent over me, holding the wet rag to the back of my head. I took it out of his hands and tried to sit up; he had to help me. Everything was spinning pretty good, so I sat very still. "Her horse gone?"

"Yeah. So's the mare."

"And ours?" I expected them to be gone, too, and was surprised by the answer I got.

"No, they're here."

"Help me up," was the next thing out of my mouth. He did, and held onto me when I swayed and tried to fall back down.

"Can you ride?" Danny asked.

"Yeah. If you can saddle my horse."

"I can do that. Sure you don't wanna sit back down?"

I remembered in time not to nod my head. "Maybe I better. Just a few minutes."

Danny helped me back down, gingerly, and I pressed the rag to my head again. At least this time it came away with no blood. I stayed down until he had the horses saddled and the fire out and then managed to get to my feet on my own. I still wasn't as steady as I'd like to be, but I was good enough to make it to the sorrel without toppling over. Once I got up on my horse I felt better. "Find tracks?"

The boy nodded. "Yeah, they went east." Not the way to Wilsons Corners. Just where was Maxwell headed?

"Anything this way that you know of?"

Danny nodded again. I wish he'd stop that – he was nodding and my head hurt every time he did. "Used to be a little settlement called Shankstown a few miles from here. Last I heard they were all gone, though. Abandoned the town. Think he could be headed there?"

"Son, I have no idea. Let's just follow the tracks and see where he leads us." I'd used the term 'son' without thinking. At this moment he seemed so young, and because of the pain in my head I felt so old. Danny didn't seem to notice.

I was surprised at how good a tracker the boy was. Of course, Red was making little or no attempt to cover those tracks. It quickly became obvious that he wanted us to follow him – him and Harper and the supplies he'd stolen from us. We rode until mid-afternoon, with what was left of Shankstown finally coming into sight. My head was still pounding and I needed to rest – Danny looked like he could use some time out of the saddle, too. I had some jerky in my saddlebags, and a can of beans that I'd forgotten to pack on the bay mare, and we decided to make do with that for supper rather than risk a gunshot when one of us caught a rabbit.

"Any ideas?" Mills asked when we'd disposed of the jerky and beans.

"Wait till dark, then see what we can find out," I told him. "He'll probably make a fire; we should be able to spot him then."

"You think she's okay?" There was nervousness and something else in his question – fear, maybe?

"I think so. No reason to hurt her. He needs her alive to use her."

"I swear, if he hurts her . . . "

"Don't think about that. He wants you to lose your head, go rushin' in there after her. Stay calm and think it through before you do anything. We've got a better chance of gettin' her out unharmed that way."

So we waited. I kept running it over in my mind, trying to figure out just what kind of a game Maxwell was playing. If he really thought Danny still had the money, why would he take the girl hostage all the way out here? Wouldn't he be better off to wait until we got close to Wilsons Corners, and go after Mills there? Or did he have something else in mind? Maybe it wasn't the money he was after at all. What then?

The sun went down, ever so slowly, and night time took its place. We sat in the dark silently and waited for some sign of life, but it was over an hour before we saw any light in the abandoned town. We left the horses tied where they were and snuck around the back of what used to be Main Street, all the way down at the other end of town. Of all the buildings to pick, we found ourselves at the back side of what used to be the jail. What an ironic sense of humor Mr. Maxwell seemed to have.

There was a light inside – it looked like a lantern of some sort. The horses were tied out back, including the bay mare loaded with supplies, and Danny stayed with them while I snuck up to the window. I could see all the cells; Harper was lying on a cot, locked up inside one of them. A shadowy figure sat perched in a chair further up front, feet up on the desk in front of him. Casually smoking a cigar. I scooted on back to Danny.

"It's him, alright. Sittin' at a desk in the front, waitin' for us, no doubt."

"Harper? What about Harper?" There was that tone of fear in his voice again.

"She's there. Locked up in a cell. Bait, Danny. He's used her as bait."

"We gotta get her out."

I nodded and whispered, "We will. Soon as we figure out how."


	8. A Friend of Harper's

Chapter 8 – A Friend of Harper's

After some debate, it was decided that I was going in the front door of the jail. That seemed to be the safest option; it was too easy to shoot Danny and be done with it if Maxwell's only objective was to kill the boy. He didn't have a gun in his hand when I peeked in the window. I could have been any kind of lawman and Maxwell wouldn't have known; at least I wasn't the man who'd shot him.

Of course, none of this sat very well with Danny. He was all for barreling in, guns blazing, to rescue the girl. I had to point out to him just how easy it would be for Maxwell to kill Harper if we did that, and he finally saw the error in his thinking. I left him at the back window after he agreed not to try and play hero. He had instructions to shoot to kill if Maxwell turned his gun on me.

I crept around to the front of the jail and quietly tried the door. It was unlocked. Screwing up what little courage I had, I opened it slowly and walked in. My gun remained holstered. Red was still sitting with his feet up on the desk, but he'd finished the cigar. There was no weapon in his hands, either.

As soon as she heard the door open, Harper was standing at the cell door. When she saw it was me a slight smile spread across her face. "Hey, old man."

"Young lady," I greeted her back. Red watched the exchange but said nothing. "You seem to have a slight problem."

The feet finally came down off the desk, and Red sat up straight. He still hadn't said anything, but his right hand was now on his gun. And there was a look in his eyes that hadn't been there before. "I don't see no badge."

Time to play braver than I felt. "Ain't got no badge."

"Whatta you want?"

"The girl."

He laughed just a little. I'd heard that laugh before, or one just like it, but it had been a long time. It was the kind of laugh that sent a chill up your spine.

"Don't think so."

"You got no use for her, Red."

"Who are you, anyway?"

"Just a friend of Harper's."

"She's only got one friend, and it ain't you. Where is Mills, anyway?"

"Someplace where you can't shoot him."

There was that laugh again. "I ain't gonna shoot him. He cost me money and I want it back. Won't get it if I shoot him."

"He's been in prison for the last year. Where do you think he's gonna get money?"

He stood up now, keeping his hand on his gun the whole time. Red was medium height, stocky, with thinning red hair and a short, scruffy beard. He walked towards Harper, with his gun now out and aimed at the girl. "From her Pa." I heard the hammer pulled back as Harper receded further into the cell.

"Her Pa's the sheriff. Where's he gonna get money?"

"He'll get it." He stopped at the front of the cell and rested the gun barrel on the bars, turning his head to look at me briefly. "You got a name?"

"Maverick."

"Well, Maverick, I suggest you collect the kid and head for Wilsons Corners. Cause she ain't goin' nowhere till you bring me what I want."

I'd taken a couple steps closer and leaned up against the desk. "How much?"

"Oh, a thousand oughta do. That's what I'da gotten from the saloon hold up, plus interest. An don't think the kid can shoot me before I kill her. Understood?"

I nodded my head, then figured I better say something in case Danny didn't see me. "Understood. Danny, you hear me? No shootin'."

From the back window came a "Yeah!"

"You know it's gonna take us a couple days or more."

There was a slight chuckle from Red. "I ain't goin' nowhere. Neither is she. Just don't be comin' back with no posse."

"Can I talk to her first?"

"Unbuckle and drop the belt. And there better not be no pea shooters around nowhere."

I did as told and dropped the gun belt. I didn't have a derringer with me; it was in my saddlebags. I wouldn't have tried to use it, anyway. That was a good way to get killed. Or get Harper killed. Red backed away but kept the gun trained on the girl. "Make it quick."

I made my way to the front of the cell and Harper joined me on the other side. "You alright?" I asked.

She nodded. "Won't do you no good to go back home. Pa ain't got no money to speak of."

I grabbed her hands through the bars. They were as cold as ice. "Let me worry about that. We'll come back to get you out."

"Make sure Danny . . . take care of him, alright?"

"I won't let him do anything foolish, I guarantee. You stay safe."

I squeezed her hands and turned to face Maxwell. "You hurt her, Maxwell . . . "

"You bring back the money and I won't have to."

He kept the barrel pointed at Harper as I walked towards the front of the office. I picked up the gun belt and strapped it on, making sure to keep my hands away from the gun.

"Easy, Maverick." He waited until I was finished. "Now get goin'."

"Harper." The girl looked at me. "We'll get back as fast as we can." She nodded.

Maxwell made a parting remark. "Give the sheriff my best."


	9. What Kind of Trouble

Chapter 9 – What Kind of Trouble

The rain had been pouring down for the past four hours, and I was soaked to the skin. Cold as ice to top it off; I'm sure Danny felt the same. We'd made good time this morning, but once the rain started it was pretty slow going, and we weren't as close to Wilsons Corners as I'd hoped we would be by this time of the day.

We finally had to find shelter – either that or drown, and I wasn't inclined to wait for that to happen. We were real close to Gannett Peak, and I found a cave big enough to shelter us and the horses. We hadn't brought the bay mare with us, but I took about half the supplies she was carrying, and we settled in to get warm and dry. Mills gathered wood and I made the fire, and once we'd started to dry out I put on a pot of coffee. The boy wore a disgruntled look, and I figured it was only a matter of time until he began giving himself an emotional whipping for everything that happened. In mere minutes I was proven right.

"She never should have come up after me. I'd have gotten back somehow."

"Yeah? What were you gonna do, walk?"

"No." Pause. Now he turned his apparent wrath on me. "And why'd she hire you to come, if not to protect her?"

"Down boy," I reminded him. "She hired me to protect YOU, not her. I didn't think about Red grabbin' Harper. If I had . . . "

"What do we do now?"

"Dry out, get some sleep, keep goin' back to see the sheriff. Maxwell sounded awful sure that her Pa'd have the money to set her free. Somethin' I oughta know?"

Danny shrugged his shoulders. "Don't ask me. You know where I been for the last year."

I gave it some thought before I questioned, "Any chance Red knows the sheriff?"

"Could, I guess. They're about the same age."

That got me to thinking. Was Red Maxwell really after Danny Mills? Or was there something else goin' on here? Something to do with Sheriff Parish? "Red ever say where he was from?"

"Someplace in Texas, down by the Mexican border. Del Rio, I think. Why?"

"What about Sheriff Parish?"

"Don't know. Harper never said, and neither did he, come to think of it. You got somethin' particular in mind?"

No, I really didn't. I'd just gotten a funny feeling when Red told me to give the sheriff his best, and I hadn't been able to shake it. And I'd learned the hard way to pay attention when something bothered me like this did. "Nope, nothin' specific. Just curious." My clothes were almost dry by this time, and I was tired. "Let's go to sleep. We can get outta here when the rain stops."

"Alright."

I laid down and closed my eyes, and I was asleep in just a few minutes. Rather unusual for me. While I slept I dreamt all sorts of things, but nothing specific or prophetic like I would later in life. Everything was jumbled and kind of confused, but one thing did stick in my mind after I was awake – in my dreams, Sheriff Parish and Red Maxwell had some kind of a definite connection.

When I woke up the rain had stopped. It was still dark outside, but I wanted to make up some of the time we'd lost while it was storming. I got up and started the coffee, then woke Danny. "Morning already?" he muttered.

"Not quite. Thought we should get goin'. Coffee's on."

He groaned and rolled over. "Alright. I'm awake."

"We should be there today if we don't get any more rain."

He sat up and poured a cup. "What if Parish ain't got no money?"

"I'd be surprised if he did." I took another swallow of my own coffee. "I got a feelin' this is about somethin' other than money."

"Between Red and the sheriff, you mean?"

"Yeah, exactly. We'll know soon enough. You ready to go?"

Danny nodded and doused the fire, while I saddled my horse. In less than ten minutes we were on our way again. It didn't rain the rest of the day, but the sky stayed overcast and there was a distinct chill in the air. We stopped twice, once to water the horses, and by early afternoon we were within a few miles of town.

"You got someplace to wait for a while?" I asked him as we reached the outer edges of Wilsons Corners.

"Why?"

"I don't think you should come to the sheriff's with me," I responded. "Just in case."

"Don't think he'd be real happy to see me?"

"I want to talk to him alone," I explained as we rode down Main Street.

Mills nodded. "I'll go to the livery. Harper left some of her things there. I'll meet you there when you're done."

I turned off, headed to the sheriff's office; Danny kept riding towards the livery. I don't know what I was expecting when we got to the prison, but I'd been pleasantly surprised with the boy's attitude since he was released. Whatever faults he might have had before, he seemed to have his head on pretty straight now. Sure looked and sounded like he'd learned his lesson the hard way. I didn't think Harper had to worry about him deliberately breakin' the law again.

I pulled up in front of the sheriff's office and dismounted. Whether this was a straight-forward attempt on Red's part for ransom or not, I wasn't looking forward to any discussion I might have with her father. Especially since he had no idea who I was or if I was even telling him the truth. And then there was that feeling that I'd been carrying around with me for a couple days – the one that said there was something going on here I knew nothing about.

I tied up the sorrel while I was thinking about the girl we'd had to leave with Maxwell. That's all she was, a girl – still a child in many ways. I could see her face staring at me from the jail cell, her eyes pleading with me not to leave her there, all the while knowing I had no choice in the matter. I didn't want to do this, go in here and give the news to her father about what had happened to his daughter and where she was, any more than I'd wanted to take the job in the first place. What choice did I have? What would Red do to her if we didn't come back? I shook my head and shuddered; I didn't want to imagine what might happen.

I straightened my shoulders and walked across the boardwalk, pausing only long enough to open the office door. Her father was sitting at his desk, examining a stack of papers. New Wanted Posters, perhaps? He glanced up when I came in, and I was surprised. Danny had said Parish and Red were about the same age, but it was plain that Danny was wrong. The sheriff was at least ten years older than Maxwell; his hair was streaked with silver, as was the mustache he wore. And his eyes – they were Harper's eyes, but tired and melancholy, like he'd seen too many gun fights and remembered all of them.

He smiled quickly – unusual for a sheriff. "Help you?" he asked pleasantly, and at that moment I hated that I was the one that had to give him the news I carried.

"Sheriff Parish?" I asked, already knowing his answer.

"That's me. What can I do for you?"

"My name's Bart Maverick. I know your daughter, Harper. We need to have a conversation about her, sheriff." I stood in front of his desk and watched the expression in his eyes change. For just a moment there was fear; fear that she'd gotten herself entangled with an older man – me. Then there was something I couldn't identify.

That disappeared, too, and Parish's eyes were almost blank when he said to me, "What kind of trouble has she gotten herself into now?"


	10. Cody

Chapter 10 – Cody

"Do you mind?" I asked him as I pointed at the chair.

"Sit down, Mr. . .?"

"Maverick. It's a long story, sheriff. And Harper is fine. At least she was when I saw her yesterday." I sat down and took the next twenty or thirty minutes to explain almost everything that had happened since I first rode into Wilsons Corners last week. Anything that pertained specifically to Harper's feelings for Danny I deliberately omitted. Her father didn't need to hear that from me. When I got to the part about Maxwell's demand that we get the thousand dollars from the sheriff, Parish's eyes came alive again. What I saw in them was a combination of fear, loathing, and disgust, and at that moment I knew I was right. There was some kind of history between the two men.

"Where's Mills now?" After everything I'd just told him, that was the only question the sheriff had.

"At the livery, waiting for me."

"Why? Why didn't he come with you?" There was a note of annoyance in his tone.

"Because I told him not to," I replied. "If you really dislike the boy as much as Harper seems to think you do, I figured it would only aggravate you for him to show up here with me."

"So Harper thinks I dislike Danny, Mr. Maverick?"

"Bart, please. She's sure of it. Do you, sheriff?"

"Hugh. My name is Hugh. Yes and no, Bart. It wasn't the boy himself, as much as it was his friendship with Maxwell. And then the attempted robbery! I thought better of him when he tried to stop Red and recovered the money. I was hoping that a year apart might cool off Harper's feelings, but it doesn't sound like it has."

I shook my head. "No sense lyin' to you, it hasn't. Not at all. Danny's a little hesitant, maybe because of you." I paused, to let that sink in. "What's this really about, Hugh? Cause there's sure more to it than just ransom."

Parish sat there for several minutes, no doubt deciding whether to trust me or not. When he finally answered me it seemed like he'd made up his mind. "Revenge. And it's been a long time comin'."

XXXXXXXX

I rode the sorrel down to the livery to collect Danny. Hugh Parish had promised to explain all at Bonnie's for supper, as soon as he locked up the jail for the night. Mills was just finishing grooming the stallion, when I got there. He looked at me expectantly. "Has he got the money?"

I dismounted and shook my head. "I didn't ask him yet. There's somethin' goin' on here that we don't know about. We're gonna meet Parish for supper at Bonnie's and he's promised to explain."

"And he wants me there, too?"

"Yep," I answered. "Don't look so surprised. It wasn't you he didn't like so much as the man you were keepin' company with."

"Maxwell?"

"The same."

"That was a bad choice on my part. Guess some of us learn harder than others."

I knew that from first-hand experience. "Some of us never learn."

"I talked to Henry." I knew from Harper that Henry was the livery's owner. "He says Harper's comin' back for her job. Told me we could keep our horses here tonight. Feed 'em, groom 'em, whatever they need. I said we'd be gone in the mornin'. We will be, won't we? We gotta go back and get her before he hurts her."

"We'll be gone in the morning. With or without the money, we'll be gone."

XXXXXXXX

It was near eight o'clock when Hugh Parish joined us at Bonnie's. I hadn't seen Danny this nervous, not even the first time I met him. The two of them were polite to each other; just not overly friendly. At least there was no open hostility.

We'd been talking about little things; nothing of any consequence. Parish and I were drinking coffee; Danny sitting silently, waiting to see what came next. The sheriff was on his third cup before he began his story.

' _I was raised in Texas, down south in a little town named Del Rio. I was the only son, but I had two sisters, both younger than me. Deborah and Millie. We lived down the road from the Maxwell's. Yes, those Maxwell's. There were two brothers, Cody and Joe. Cody was the oldest – everybody called Joe by his nickname, Red, because of his hair. Cody and I were about the same age; Red was several years younger. I was friends with both of the Maxwell boys, and they knew my sisters._

 _I wanted to be a lawman. Cody wanted to make easy money. He started gettin' into trouble when we got older, and either Red or me got him out of it. He took up with my sister Deborah, and he kept tellin' her he'd marry her, but he never did. When he was eighteen he robbed a stagecoach, and when he lit out for parts unknown he took Deborah with him. I went to work for the marshal in Del Rio._

 _It was two or three years later, and I'd become a deputy. Deborah showed up at ma and pa's place one day, sick and dyin'. Cody abandoned her in some little town in Mexico. He was wanted for bank robbery, and I got sent out with the posse to look for him. We caught him and drug him back to Del Rio, but by the time I got home our sweet Deborah was dead. I never forgave him for it._

 _One night I was by myself at the jail; the Circuit Judge was comin' the next week to try Maxwell. Some of his gang tried to break him out and I tried to stop 'em. I got shot and they musta thought I was dead; as Cody was slippin' out the back door of the jail, I fired. Maybe I coulda winged him, maybe not, but I didn't. I killed him. All I could think about was Deborah._

 _Red claimed it was murder. Nobody agreed with him, and when I recovered I left Texas for New Mexico. And I just kept movin' until Harper was born. Then later Esme came along, and their mother died. I sent Esme to live with my sister Millie. She was safer there. I woulda sent Harper, too, but I knew she wouldn't go._

 _Things were goin' pretty well, when one day years later Red Maxwell turned up workin' for old man Ferris. And then he took Danny under his wing, and fed him all kinds of lies. I knew what he was after – it was revenge, and if he couldn't get it one way he'd get it another. I should have explained it to Harper, but I didn't. And now he's got her, and what am I supposed to do about it?'_

Danny Mills and I sat there and didn't say anything. He'd been duped and used by Red in his pursuit of retribution for what he perceived as the murder of his brother so long ago. Harper was definitely an innocent victim, and I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Then again, it wasn't my life, health, or welfare that was being threatened.

Finally I had to ask. "I don't suppose you've got a thousand dollars, sheriff?"

Parish shook his head. "Nope. I don't even have ten. But I might be able to borrow it. Just one thing."

"What's that?" I asked, hoping that I was wrong about the sheriff's condition.

"I hafta go back up there with you."


	11. Speculation

Chapter 11 – Speculation

' _I hafta go back up there with you.'_

"As the sheriff or as Harper's father?" I had to know. Was Hugh going back to Shankstown to arrest an outlaw, or to kill the man who'd kidnapped his daughter?

Parish didn't answer right away, and I was more impressed by the fact that he had to think about it logically rather than just snapping off an answer. "I'm the law in these parts. The man's a thief and a murderer. It's my job to bring him back for trial."

"What about Harper?" Danny finally broke his silence.

"She's . . . my . . . daughter. I won't risk her life to catch him."

"What about the money?" It was my turn again.

The sheriff actually looked relieved to be asked about something other than Harper. "Leave that up to me."

We sat at the table in Bonnie's for a few more minutes – Parish and me drinkin' coffee, Danny looking miserable. Finally the boy spoke up. "Sheriff." Hugh turned his attention to Mills. "I'll do anything you say. Long as you get her back."

For the first time since I'd met him, there was a softening in the sheriff's eyes, and he actually attempted a smile. "We won't come back without her."

XXXXXXXX

I'd gotten a room at the hotel; Danny slept on the floor. We were both awake at daybreak and ready to go a few minutes later. We were set to meet Hugh Parish at eight o'clock, so we grabbed a quick breakfast in the hotel's dining room and left for the livery. The sheriff was waiting for us when we got there.

"You get the money?" I asked him as I finished saddling the sorrel.

"Some of it."

"How much?" was my next question.

He ducked his head. "Almost seven hundred dollars."

I checked the girth on the saddle and told him quietly, "I've got the rest." He looked at me like I'd just lost my mind.

"Why would you . . . "

I wasn't sure I could give him an answer that would satisfy him. I wasn't sure I had an answer that would satisfy him. "We've wasted enough time. Let's go."

It was mid-morning before anyone spoke. Parish dropped back to ride next to me and asked, "Where were they?"

"At the jail."

"You're sure she was alright?"

"She was locked in a cell, but she was alright."

"Do you think he'd hurt her?"

I shook my head. "No, I don't. It's not Harper he wants, it's you. That was his whole purpose in doin' this, ya know."

"He's waited a long time. I thought she was safe, after Danny got sent to prison, and everybody was lookin' for him."

"You shoulda told her."

He looked at me sharply. "I know that." Then, after a few minutes, "She gonna marry that boy?"

"You'll have to ask her that. Probably, if you try to push her away from him."

"No, I'm done with that. Wouldn't do no good, anyway. He's not such a bad kid, just got pulled into somethin' he shouldn't have."

"He knows that, now."

We rode on for a few more minutes before Parish broke the silence again. "You don't have to go back with us. You ain't got a horse in this race."

I smiled just a little, then. "I got paid to do a job. It ain't over yet."

He nodded in understanding, then drifted back up front to ride with Danny. That's the way we stayed until we stopped to camp for the night.

Something seemed to have changed between the sheriff and the reformed criminal since last night. They seemed more at ease with each other, more respectful. Danny knew that Hugh had a reason for the things he'd done, and Parish appeared to accept the fact that his daughter cared a lot about the boy. Spending time with the two of them was easier, and a lot less tension-filled, than it had been the night before. As the sun went down we found a spot and made camp, ate and turned in quickly. Each one of us, in his own way, was on edge about the confrontation looming in front of us tomorrow. And the thought kept crossing my mind – just how many of us would make the ride back to Wilsons Corners?


	12. Ghosts

Chapter 12 – Ghosts

It was pitch black the next night by the time we got to Shankstown. We were worn out; we'd pushed it hard all day. I was torn between wanting a good night's sleep and trying to free Harper as quickly as we could. I figured since Hugh was the girl's father he was the only one with the right to make the decision.

"Let's get her out," he declared, and Danny nodded in agreement. We'd left the horses tied two buildings down, on the far side of the south wall so they couldn't be heard, and crept up on the back of the jail. It was dark and still inside; there was just enough moonlight to see Harper in her cell, asleep on the cot. Red must have been somewhere in the shadows – we couldn't find any trace of him. I motioned the two men back from the window and we got out of earshot.

"I don't like not knowin' where Red is," Hugh whispered, and I had to agree with him.

"Maybe we better wait until daylight," I suggested, and Danny nodded his head.

"He could be anywhere right now. She ain't safe when we can't see him."

"Back at dawn?" from me.

"Agreed." Danny spoke, Hugh nodded. We moved as quietly as we could back to the horses. We walked them back into the woods that surrounded the abandoned town and, at a safe distance, bedrolls came out, and the three of us settled down to try and sleep. Or, in my case at least, to lie staring up at the sky until it began to get light. Always, always when the thing I need to do most is sleep, that's the last thing I can do. Finally my body gave out and I dozed for an hour or two; when I opened my eyes it was light enough that I could see the horses. I rolled over and found the sheriff up and moving. No coffee this morning; the smells from it and the fire would carry.

I sat up and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. The sun was actually rising as I checked my gun to make sure it was fully loaded. The derringer was now in my coat pocket; it was ready to go, too. The next time I glanced up Danny was saddling his horse. Looked like it was time to head back to the jail; I got up and carried my saddle over to the sorrel. The mood was grim; we were facing an unknown foe. I kept reminding myself that I'd been in tighter spots before, but at that exact moment I was hard pressed to think of one.

XXXXXXXX

Danny was in place at the back window of the jail. Sheriff Parish and I went around the front. He opened the door and walked in; I followed. I'd gone about three steps when I heard a familiar voice. "Well, well, well – if it ain't the sheriff. Did you decide to personally deliver my money, Parish? Or did you come for some other reason?"

"I brought your money, Red."

Maxwell was sitting at the desk again with his feet up, and his gun pointed somewhere between the two of us. "What's he here for?" He meant me.

"I'm here to make sure Harper gets out safe," I told him.

"Uh-huh. Heard the story Parish tells, did ya?"

I nodded. "Unlock the cell, Maxwell."

"Where's the kid?"

"I'm back here, Red," Danny called from the far side of the back door.

"Come on out, kid. I ain't gonna hurt ya."

"Don't do it, Danny!" Harper was standing at the front of her cell, having been pushed awake by our noise.

"Don't worry, Harper. He ain't after me." With that, the boy came in the back door. He'd holstered his gun so he wasn't a threat to the outlaw and went straight to Harper's side.

"What? I don't understand." The girl was confused, seeing that Maxwell's gun was pointed directly at her father. "Bart, what's goin' on?"

"Get over with the others, Maverick. You too, sheriff."

I moved over to the jail cell while Red had his Colt trained on Parish. I kept looking for an opportunity to get the drop on Maxwell, but the outlaw was being extremely careful. Once I was next to the boy and girl, he waved Harper's father over. With his gaze refocused on the whole group of us, he saw the confused look on Harper's face and laughed that evil laugh.

"Guess daddy never explained it to you, did he, girl? Why don't you tell her now, sheriff? I think it's about time she knows what her father really is, don't you?"

No sound came from the sheriff. He reached over and took his daughter's hand – she didn't resist. Maxwell shook his head.

"Not gonna talk, huh? Then I guess it's up to me." His gun still pointed at her father, his eyes shifted to the girl. "Your old man's a killer. A cold-blooded murderer. Been hidin' behind that badge all these years. That's the truth, ain't it, sheriff?"

Parish tightened his grip on Harper's hand. "No. It ain't the truth, Red, and you know it."

"Pa? What's he talkin' about?"

"Tell her, sheriff, or I will."

Hugh let out a sigh and turned to face his daughter. "I shot his brother Cody when he tried to escape jail. It was before you were born."

The girl never made a sound, just stared at her father. It was like somebody had turned a light on in her head, and a lot of things that never made sense before came into focus.

Red took a step forward and pulled the hammer back on his gun. "Alright, one at a time. Get rid of those guns. Kid, you first. Unbuckle the gun belt and drop it on the floor." Danny did as instructed. "Now you, Maverick."

I wasn't gonna argue with him. Like I've said before, I'll do just about anything I'm told to do when somebody's got a gun aimed at me. Only thing was, Maxwell didn't know about the derringer that resided in my inside coat pocket. When my gun belt was on the floor he moved on to the sheriff. "Come on, Parish. Get rid of it." The sheriff let go of his daughter's hand and complied with the order. "Now, all three of ya, move away from that cell door."

Suddenly, what he was gonna do became perfectly clear. Maxwell intended to put us in the cell with Harper. Once we were locked in with her, there'd be no way out for any of us. Eventually, the ghost town would have real ghosts.


	13. Friends

Chapter 13 – Friends

I had to think of something, and it better be fast. Why me? I was the only one besides Maxwell that still had a weapon.

"What about the money, Red? Don't you want the money?" I asked, desperate to distract him.

A grin suddenly lit up his face. "Oh, yeah. The money. Let's have it, Parish." Instead of continuing to back away, as he had been, Red took a step forward and extended his hand. Hugh pulled what money he had from his coat pocket and handed it over to Maxwell. The outlaw examined what the sheriff gave him and then complained. "This ain't a thousand dollars."

"No, it's not," I answered him. "I've got the rest." I pulled the remaining funds and the derringer from my coat pocket, where they both resided, and offered the bills, carefully concealing the gun, to Red. As he reached for the bills I pulled the trigger on the Remington and hit him in the palm of his left hand. He let out a howl and shot as I fired the second round, putting the bullet into his chest. It took me a minute to realize I'd been hit. By that time Red was down and the sheriff had grabbed his gun. There was no need to hurry; I was close enough when I shot the second time for the missile to have done its damage. Maxwell was on the ground, gasping for air and rapidly bleeding to death.

The next few minutes were a jumble. Somebody took the cell door keys from Red and freed Harper; she went straight into Danny's arms. Once Hugh Parish was sure that the outlaw was dead he turned his attention to my arm, which Red's bullet had grazed. He wrapped a handkerchief around it and finally looked me in the eyes. "I don't know how or why, but thanks."

Harper pulled away from Danny and ran to her father. "Are you alright, girl?"

She nodded and hugged her Pa. "Is he dead?"

"Thanks to Bart." The sheriff held on to his daughter, his little girl, and there was a look of relief on his face.

I felt pressure on my shoulder and turned around. It was Danny, extending his hand to shake mine. "Thanks, Mr. Maverick." Almost as soon as he let go, Harper had wrapped herself in my good arm.

"See? I told ya you was smart." She stood on tiptoes and kissed me on the cheek, then touched the same spot. "And quick. Thanks." And just that fast she was back in the boy's arms.

"I guess I better get used to that," I heard the sheriff say.

"Looks like it," I remarked.

XXXXXXXX

It took us an extra day to get back to Wilsons Corners. We were haulin' Red Maxwell's body, and my arm started to stiffen up. Harper and Hugh did a lot of talking on the trip back; he had a lot to explain to her. When they weren't deep in conversation she spent her time with Danny. He looked happier than I'd seen him since the day he opened the door to the cabin at the prison.

When we got back to town I took a room at the hotel and went to see the doctor. He told me it would take about a week for the arm to feel normal again, and I was in no hurry to move on. The sheriff had informed me there was a reward of some sort on Red and I was content to spend my time resting, reading, and waiting.

Harper moved back into her father's house. It was her idea, but it pleased him no end. He and Harper talked about sending for Esme over the summer, and the older daughter was so excited she could hardly wait. But the biggest surprise of all was Danny. The former 'outlaw' went to work as a deputy for Hugh Parish.

Danny began courting Harper properly, all the while learning to be a suitable beau. She went back to work for Henry at the livery, and he offered to bring her into the business if she would invest with him. When I heard that I knew exactly what I was gonna do. Four days later Hugh Parish and I were eating breakfast at Bonnie's when he told me the news: "The reward for Red Maxwell is one thousand dollars."

I almost dropped my coffee. "That much?" I asked. "Are you sure?"

"Yep, got the wire yesterday afternoon. The money'll be available day after tomorrow. There's some people in Texas awful happy that Red Maxwell is no more. And several of 'em here in Wilsons Corners, too."

"I assume I'm eatin' breakfast with one of 'em."

"That you are. For the first time in a lotta years, I'm not worried about what's around the next corner. It's a good feelin', Bart."

"I'd imagine it is. You talked to Harper about her buyin' into the livery?" I was curious to see what her father's take on the whole matter was.

"No, but I talked to Henry. He's really willing to give her a start on her wantin' to work with horses. I know she's got some money saved . . . "

"Had some money saved, Hugh. That's what she paid me with."

It was evident he didn't know that. "Oh. That puts a different light on things."

We finished breakfast and parted company. I wandered down to the livery, where Harper was already hard at work mucking out stalls. "Miss Harper, I need a word with you."

"Uh – oh. What did I do now?"

"Tell me about Henry's offer."

She shrugged her shoulders and tossed her head. Once again I was reminded of spun gold. "Nothin' special," she remarked.

"That's not what I hear."

"Well, I can't do it, so it don't matter anyway." She looked at me defiantly. "My money was well spent."

"I don't know about that," I chuckled. "Sure you don't regret it, considerin' the way things worked out?"

"Not at all. Danny's back, and he's safe, and me and Pa got a better understandin', and I've got another friend."

"Who, me?" I asked her.

"Yeah, you, old man. Who else?" She threw a pitchfork full of hay at me.

"You know I'm leavin' town in a couple days." Just as soon as I got the reward money, as a matter of fact. I'd already been here far longer than I intended to be.

"Don't matter, you're still my friend. Ain't ya?"

I couldn't help it. I laughed. "Yeah, I guess I am."

XXXXXXXX

Two days later we were all in the sheriff's office when the reward money arrived with the bank president. He counted out one thousand dollars and handed it to Hugh Parish, who counted it out again and handed it to me. I peeled off four hundred dollars and passed it along, into Harper's hands. She seemed stunned.

"What is this?" she asked me.

"The money you need to invest with Henry," I told her.

"But that's yours. That's what I paid you to go after Danny with me."

I nodded. "That's right. And now I'm givin' it back to you."

"But why?"

I'd been wondering what kind of a reason I was gonna give her, but in an instant it came to me. "Because that's what friends do for friends."

She threw her arms around me and kissed me, and this time it wasn't on the cheek. And Danny never even flinched.

The End


End file.
